THE TEAK REGION. 217 



A standing shot may sometimes be had during a few seconds 

 after the sambar first rise, but more generally they dart off at 

 full speed at once, and then comes into play the most difficult 

 of all the arts of the rifleman snap shooting at running 

 game off an elephant. The elephant is never perfectly still 

 for more than a moment, and its short swing must be allowed 

 for as well as the pace of the deer. The sambar is, of course, 

 from its great size and distinct colour, much more easy to 

 hit than the spotted deer, or barking, or hog, deer ; but still 

 it is amazing what a preponderance of clear misses the best 

 shots will make at even running sambar off the elephant, 

 until long and constant practice has given the peculiar knack 

 which is so difficult to attain. It is, however, by far the 

 most deadly as well as one of the most enjoyable ways of 

 hunting the sambar. The best stags will, however, seldom 

 be obtained by this method, lying as they do on the tops of 

 remote hills, where one might search for and not find them 

 for a week, 



Driving a large extent of country with a long line of 

 beaters is the commonest method of hunting sambar. It is 

 frequently successful, and often secures a good stag ; but for 

 my own part I have very rarely resorted to it. It is difficult 

 often to get a sufficient number of beaters without oppression, 

 and accidents often occur to them from the enclosure of 

 dangerous wild beasts. The whole country is disturbed ; the 

 shooting of a creature driven up to you, without the exercise 

 either of skill or any other manly quality on your own part, 

 is not sport ; and lastly, to prove successful, a large number 

 of sportsmen are required to guard the numerous passes ; and 

 it never has been my fortune (not that I have much regretted 

 it) to be out with a large hunting party in India. A few 

 times however I have helped to drive a jungle, generally 



